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Topic: First Look: Kiddy Grade (Read 8136 times)

Having watched the first three episodes of Kiddy Grade, I think I can say that I'm interested. Although it seems to be a bit slow, the characters are developing fairly well so far. This gives hope that once the initial details are provided, the plot will tighten up.

Basic Plot:The main protagonists so far are Éclair and Lumière, special agents with a galactic agency called GOTT, the Galactic Organization of Trade and Tariffs. Our two protagonists appear to be lower-level agents, being held in some contempt by the other agents of GOTT. Part of their duties also involve staffing the front desk at the main GOTT headquarters, possibly as a cover; this is not explained however. Based on profiles provided on the first DVD, Éclair is 16 and Lumière is several years younger, which stretches suspension of disbelief a bit when trying to reconcile this with the fact that they have full-time jobs.

GOTT acts as a kind of universal police force, in a way like Interpol is here on Earth. This gives the series a good range for creativity as the settings can be anywhere in the galaxy, allowing for a good range of stories and plot development. In fact, each episode so far has spent the majority of time in different locations.

The show has already set up some nice threads, which I hope will be explored as the series progresses. In the first episode, for example, the director of GOTT mentions that Éclair has died in the past. It's almost a throw-away comment, but will hopefully be better explained soon.

Ratings (out of 5):Picture: 4This show is consistent with the shows of its vintage (2002). The artwork is clean and motion is fluid. Character designs appear to stay on-model consistently.

Story: 3The plot has been somewhat slow so far, so it gets docked a few points. However, the story is intriguing and the characters are sympathetic. A full review will determine if this rating is fair for the series as a whole.

Sound: 4No complaints here. The sound is crisp and the voices are audible. It is not, however, outstanding. Both the opening and closing songs are enjoyable and avoid being annoying on repeated listenings. The voice acting seems to be well-done although not noteworthy. As I have not listened to the English dub, I cannot comment on the voice work for that side.

Overall: 11 of 15While not a stand-out series, it is enjoyable so far and much better than some. If you get the chance, it seems worth the watch.